Strong enough? Saul faces new challenges as he begins to follow Jesus. The Lord is gracious to offer strength in the moment and opportunities to grow stronger for what is to come.

You want me to do what, Lord? Ananias is among the scared disciples in Damascus anticipating the impending persecution as Saul is headed their way. Instead, God calls upon him to be a gracious tool to be used in Saul's story of being called to serve Jesus.

Anyone can change. Saul approaches Damascus with great zeal to destroy the church, only to be met with a blinding light as he encounters Jesus, loud and clear. No one would have anticipated such a dramatic change of heart, but nothing is impossible with God.

In a sea of humanity, God sees each individual. Philip leaves Samaria for the desert, where God has an appointment for him to share Jesus with an Ethiopian.

Opportunity knocks. When great things happen in Samaria after the gospel comes to town, a man names Simon wants to get in on the action. A visit from the apostles exposes his ulterior motives. While opportunities may arise, God looks at the underlying motives those who seek them.

In the wake of Stephen's martyrdom, the first believers begin to scatter. God uses this new dynamic to direct the gospel into new areas where it is yet to be heard. Christians, likewise, may be moved strategically to share the message of Jesus in places where it will be fruitful.

Looking out for #1. The religious leaders could only see the reality they had created and were ignoring all that God had done to point them to Jesus. Stephen seeks to glorify God with his life, even to the very end.

A good neighbor is hard to find. Israel's history was peppered with visits to Egypt, their neighbor to the south. Stephen reminds his critics about their time as a nation in Egypt from the days of Joseph through the days of Moses. He draws parallels to their current actions in rejecting Jesus in hopes that they might instead turn to be saved.

Never forget where you came from. As Stephen defends himself, he points back to their origins as a nation to get them to see that God has had a plan all along - since the days of Abraham - to draw them into a deeper relationship with Himself. His hope is that they will see that Jesus should be embraced and not rejected.

Repetition reinforces. When the Lord begins to work through a disciple named Stephen, the religious leaders push back, and things look all too familiar. God's people had a history of missing things the first time around, but He is gracious to repeat, as needed.